A Father's Realizations
by princ3ssf33t
Summary: Morgan's in a hijacked helicopter, but what was going through her father's head? Especially at the moment of Greg's outburst at the hijacker's daughter. Implied Morganders. Spoilers for CSI: Down (12x5)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, this is my first CSI fanfic. I'm not sure just how I did. But some things you should know about it, it's third person Ecklie perspective, just to let you know. It's what I think Ecklie might have been thinking during the whole outburst that Greg has in the episode CSI: Down. A great episode, anyways here it is. **

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He was walking down the hall, mind in a fog. Would this have played out differently had he been a better father? He wasn't there when she had needed him before, but he sure as hell was going to be there for her now. He would move heaven and earth for his daughter. He understood what that man up in the chopper was feeling.

He was heading towards the interrogation room. Although he wasn't an interrogator, he still was a cop. He wanted answers, and damned if he wasn't going to get some. And that girl was the only one who knew the answers as to where they were headed.

Vaguely he saw CSI Sanders marching in towards the interrogation room.

"You set them up! You're gonna get them killed!" He shouted jabbing a finger at the restrained girl. The slap of the hands on the table could be heard all the way in the hall. "BITCH!"

He ran in there. This would not reflect well on the department. Not that he really cared. If he wasn't the Under-sheriff he would be the first one in line to do the exact same thing that Sanders was doing. He grabbed Sanders under his right arm.

"Sanders!"

He began to pull Sanders away from the table and from the girl. Thoughts ran across his brain at how muscular the skinny guy was. There was a power in the kid, and it was radiating off him. It only took him a second to realize just what the kid was actually radiating. Anger. The kid was actually shaking with it.

"Frank really thinks I tried to help him."

He stared down at the girl. The expression on her face hadn't changed. It was the same stony face to match the same flat voice. For a moment he felt a twinge of fear. What if Morgan hadn't gone into law enforcement? Would she have turned out like the girl in front of him?

"Where did you send them? If they hurt her I swear to you!"

The kid jerked in his grasp. There was a lot of unrestrained power in this kid. Or maybe that was just pure will. Or maybe it was something else. He knew that everyone was on edge with this case, but there was something different about this anger coming from Sanders. Almost as if there were unsaid feelings pulling the strings.

"Mad 10's are my family. Frank killed two of us he has to pay for that."

Sanders turned slightly and kicked the chair. It flipped over and went across to the other side of the room. He was just glad that it was the chair and not anyone else. At this point he knew just what those feelings were underneath pulling the strings. A part of him was relieved that there was someone out there that Morgan could go to. The other part was astonished that someone could be attracted to his daughter and he didn't see it.

"Where. Did. You. Send them!"

"It's done. "

With one final kick, Sanders pushed both men restraining him off, turned and tread heavily out of the room.

She smirked. His mouth hung open a little. This girl really had no remorse for what she'd done. She didn't care that there were three other innocent lives on that chopper. She didn't care about anyone. She was truly lost, and there would be no bringing her back from there.

He just hoped it wasn't too late for Morgan.

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**So there you have it. How'd I do? Review please.**


	2. Chapter 2

He had no idea what he was going to find when they got there. All he knew was that they were minutes away from the abandoned theme park and the chopper and his _daughter_. Russell had warned him about what they may find. There may be an abrupt landing from the absence of fuel, or there could be fiery wreckage left over from the Mad 10's. Even if they had survived the landing, if it was that, gang-bangers could have executed all survivors in the chopper.

He wasn't prepared for that. He still saw that fourteen year old girl, innocent and smiling from before the divorce. It was his biggest fear that he never realized before. He didn't even really know who she was anymore. He didn't want to lose her again. Captain Brass' voice interrupted his thoughts over the radio.

"This is Brass. I want the CSI's to keep their distance. I got lead, you got that Sanders?"

For a moment he had forgotten that he was following the second youngest CSI. He had forgotten that the kid was just as anxious and worried as he was.

"Copy."

There was a tightness in his voice. He could only imagine what was going through Sanders mind at the moment. Probably similar things that were running through his own head, only less fatherly.

He looked over to Russell who was driving him. They made up the last of the convoy, considering that neither one were carrying at the moment, Brass wanted to be sure that things were clear before they came in. Russell's face was calm, the perfect reflection of keeping it together. He had no idea how he managed to keep it all together. His eyes turned back to the road ahead of him at Greg's Denali. The dark black vehicle sped up, kicking up dirt and dust into the windshield, leaving them behind.

They arrived at the theme park mere seconds after Sanders. They had been cleared to approach, the shooting was over and all was clear. His heart beat rapidly, any faster he may suffer cardiac arrest. Russell was quick out of the car. He remained seated for only a second longer taking in her appearance.

Her stab vest was gone and she was covered in dirt and ash from the wreckage from the chopper. There was blood leaking out from a small cut on her forehead and another on her temple. Her hair was escaping its ponytail and she held a shell-shocked expression. She stared at the scene around her without really comprehending.

He saw as Sanders ran to his daughter.

"Morgan! Are you hurt?"

His voice was low but still betrayed the level of concern that would reveal his feelings to anyone listening.

"You still owe me one."

Morgan tried to brush off the concern of her coworker. She didn't realize the amount of concern he had in his voice. She walked away from him, away from the scene behind her. He walked as Sanders eyes never left his daughter as she walked from him.

He jogged to her and stood there, drinking in the fact that she was still there. She looked worse for wear, but she was here.

"Morgan, what can I-?"

He hadn't been there for years in her life. But he was here now, she needed to know that. He loved her and that was something that had never gone away, no matter what she thought.

"I'm fine dad."

He paused just looking at her. She had called him _Dad_. She hadn't done that since she was a teenager and before she moved to LA with her mother. She didn't really meet his eyes. Acting on an impulse he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. He squeezed her tightly, reassuring himself that she was still her and still living. He gave no thoughts to the grime that covered his daughter getting on his suit. She was here and could give him a hug. Gently she gave him a slight hug back. Then she pulled back.

"I just, wanna get outta here." She pulled away from her father.

"Yeah okay."

"Can we go?"

Her question was directed to her supervisor standing behind him.

"Sure."

He turned and looked at Russell and gave a slight nod. He watched as his daughter walked away from him and allowed her supervisor wrap an arm around Morgan and lead her away. He took a deep breath and fought to keep the tears from spilling over. It hurt to see that she trusted Russell more than her own father.

He was vaguely aware that Sanders had walked up and stood beside him. He didn't turn to look at him. He was watching his daughter. She was sobbing and Russell was guiding her and supporting her as she walked. He should be that man holding her, comforting her. That was _his_ job as her father.

But she had hugged him back, for however a fleeting second it was. And she had called him Dad. Something had happened up in the air, and he was unsure of what it was. But whatever it was seemed to be bringing them closer together, and for that he would be forever grateful. He turned to the CSI standing next to him.

"She'll be alright."

He knew that Sanders was right. She was tough, tougher than what he expected. He rested a hand on Sanders shoulder.

"I know, son. She's strong, that's what caught your eye in the first place, correct?"

He walked away with a small sense of pride as the young CSI floundered for the right words. At the moment he needed to remind his daughter about the rules about dating coworkers.

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**A/N: And that wraps this little story up. I added in that last little bit, cause I had to. You wouldn't believe how many times I actually watched these parts of the episode. At least ten times, just to get the dialogue right. Then the body language and the like. I'm not complaining, but I think my family may be. :P **

**As always, reviews add rainbows in the world. :)**


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